Started with a Rabbit
by Kit-cat99
Summary: Season 4 start: When Len is proven to have lied about the rabbit, Joe brings Daryl to a little treat that the Claimers had found. Daryl has a bit of a morale crisis as he tries to figure how to save more than just his own life.
1. Chapter 1

**Started with a Rabbit**

Summary: Starting in season 4 and continuing throughout the rest of the series. After the rabbit incident, Joe decides to let Daryl in on something good. Now Daryl has to figure out how to save some lives and find his group.

Rating: M

Disclaimer: Nothing here is owned by me, I just play with them but I swear I give them back at the end of the day.

"Daryl, come here." Joe suggested with an arm raised up. Daryl glanced over at where the other men were beating the crap out of Len and decided it would be best to go along for now. He slowly walked to the leader and then cautiously followed him back inside. "My boys found something interesting when they first found this place. Something good. Takes the edge off and helps us relax and all."

"Crack?" Daryl suggested in a light joke. Joe laughed and shook his head. Without another word, the older man led the way into a separate room of the building. Daryl froze when he walked in, finding a young woman sitting in the corner, hands and ankles tied together, gag across her mouth. His hands curled into fists which he quickly buried into his pockets as he observed the woman with barely concealed anger.

She couldn't have been much older than Beth, maybe a year or two, with blue eyes. That was where the similarities ended. Where Beth had blonde hair, this woman had dark brown, matted down hair. There was blood on her forehead coming from somewhere around the hairline and Daryl wondered which of the men had struck her. Her clothes were simply a white tank top, dirty and old, and a pair of jeans. Her feet were bare but relatively clean, leading him to believe that her shoes had only just been removed more recently. She wasn't too terribly skinny but she did look like it had been awhile since she had eaten. What skin was visible was pale and bruised, likely from one the men gripping too hard in their activities.

"Don't know how long she been hiding here but she swore she'd do as we asked if we didn't kill her." Joe explained. Daryl remained silent, still looking at the woman. Joe clapped a heavy hand on his back then leaned in to whisper the rest of his words. "We wasn't ever gonna kill her but it was better getting some agreement in tact. I'll leave ya to it. Don't let her out of the room and don't take the gag off, ain't no one wants to hear any noise."

With all that said, Joe left the room, closing the door behind him. The woman continued to just stare at Daryl, her blue eyes wide and bloodshot with heavy bags underneath. She flinched when Daryl finally started to move. The man slowly made his way across the room to crouch in front of her. When he took his knife out, her eyes widened further. The other men had threatened her with knives, one having actually cut at her skin with his crazed desire of blood play, but she didn't want it to happen again.

"Relax." Daryl muttered gruffly. He took her bound hands and cut through the cloth before doing the same to her ankles. He looked up at her face to see her still watching him and wondered what she was thinking. "I'm gonna take this off you but you can't make a lot of noise." He put the knife down and reached up carefully to slide the gag off her mouth. She winced and took a big unobstructed breath. There was a bruise next to her mouth and dried blood over her lips. He watched her eyes glance over at his knife. "What's your name?"

"Does it matter?" She asked, eyes shooting back up to his face. "Just do it and be done, please."

"I ain't gonna fuck you, girl." Daryl muttered, shaking his head as he fell back to sit. He stretched out one leg while the other remained bent up, an elbow balancing on the knee. He put the knife away and looked around the room. "I ain't like them."

"Then why you with them?" She asked. Her voice had a slight southern sound to it, but only enough that it was likely just something she picked up over the last while.

"Guess...safer." Daryl replied, wondering how to put into his words his reasoning. "Someone gonna find a guy on his own, think to mess him up. But a guy in a group, likely get left alone. Just need ta worry on the group then." The woman nodded slowly, accepting his answer. He glanced her way and frowned slightly, wondering why she kept staring at him, watching him with those eyes that just reminded him of Beth. He mentally scolded himself, told himself to look at her hair and not the eyes, not to think of the young girl he had let down and lost.

"Willa." The woman muttered, finally looking away from the hunter. Daryl paused then slowly nodded, understanding dawning on him.

"Daryl." He introduced himself.

 _***WDWDWDWDWD***_

"We should get moving on." Tony mused, looking around at the surroundings. "Only got us a few more hours of daylight left."

"What's gonna happen with that girl?" Daryl asked cautiously, watching the men. He was hoping that they'd just leave her be, let her go back on her own way. He realized that was stupid, leaving her to death basically. They had taken any supplies she might have had with her when the boys had found her. He considered that, should they actually leave her, he could trail off behind the group then break away, get back to her and…

And what? Stick with her? Protect her? Daryl didn't know where that train of thought was going. He had already let down one girl, he couldn't trust himself on doing it again.

"We take her with us." Joe decided. It was the answer that Daryl almost feared. He knew what would happen with her then, she'd be passed around between the men, used as stress relief in whatever way they wanted. It was clear she wasn't being considered as something that any sole man could lay claim to. He knew she wouldn't fight them and he supposed it was the best way at this point for her to stay alive.

But would that living be more desired than death? He wasn't sure.

Willa was brought out of the room by Harley and Billy. Her hands were tied again and the gag was over her mouth but they were nice enough at least to give her free movement to walk. What looked like Len's boots were covering her far smaller feet and her eyes searched over the group as a rope was tied to the binds on her wrists.

A leash.

A fucking leash.

They were turning her into their pet, Daryl was disgusted by the idea but stayed silent. He turned away when her gaze fell on him in the search. Joe took the rope and wrapped it around his hand and took the lead, bringing Willa along behind him. Daryl watched her limp and took in the blood stains that were gradually growing through her jeans along her thighs. He looked around the group, remembering Harley was in the room last and wondered what damage the man had caused to this woman's body. He kept his mouth shut and his eyes on the ground, caging in his anger.

 _There are two types of evil: those who do evil things and those who see evil done and do nothing._

That line rang through his head and he realized he was the second evil to the group's first. Was his skin more valuable to him then this girl's dignity? What good was he dead though? He could stand up for her, sure. He could cause a fight, kill one of these bastards, but then what? They'd kill him and the remainder of them would fuck Willa for however much longer she was alive. No, he didn't see anything he could do to save this girl. She was a valuable commodity now, he couldn't even imagine sneaking away with her in the middle of the night would go over well either. Someone would always be watching and he knew he wasn't trusted. Liked, yes, but not trusted. He was still "on parole" as it were and they wouldn't let him be guard over their little treasure until he earned it.

But then what? They run in the night and would become the new target. Likely more wanted then the poor fuck who had killed Lou.

"Daryl!" Joe snapped, bringing the other man's attention to him. He didn't realize how long they had been walking at that point until he noticed the sun right overhead. He spared a short glance at Willa, seeing the slump in her shoulders and the sweat mixed with the blood on her head, before he lifted a curious brow at the group leader. "Where's your head at, man?"

"Thinking back on that sign we saw, for that train station place." Daryl replied after a moment.

"You wanna go there, do ya?" Joe asked with a laugh. "Ain't nothin to it, I'll bet. All them signs, those folks won't have lasted. Plus, we got us a goal to reach. Now, I want you and Harley to scout around, see if there ain't a trace of the sleazeball or a nice sizable piece of land that we can take a rest in." His eyes moved over Willa who kept her head down, her posture tense. Daryl felt a tick at his eye and nodded quickly to hide the motion before taking to the trees. Harley wasn't too far behind him and there was a brief moment when Daryl wondered if he could trick the other man, kill him carefully but make it look like something else had got him.

He knew if anyone else from his own group, fuck, if even his brother was there, they'd all be ashamed of him. By the time Daryl returned to the others on the hour mark with Harley still right behind him, he was just as sickened and ashamed with himself as he figured any of his own would have been. Merle would have called him a little bitch, Daryl could practically hear the voice in his head, berating him, putting him down. The more his own inner turmoils taunted him, the angrier he looked on the outside.

It was how he knew he looked when he went to Joe, an offering of a dead squirrel in hand, and stated he wanted some time with Willa. For a few seconds, Daryl almost thought he would be denied as Joe just took the squirrel without a look up. As the older man started gutting and skinning the animal, Daryl found himself biting the inside of his cheek, his hands clenching and unclenching at his sides. Finally, Joe gave a single nod to the tree Willa was left by and that was all the go ahead the hunter needed.

"What are you doing?" Willa whispered once Daryl had pulled her far enough away from the others, out of eye range but still close enough should one of them start yelling. He had pulled her gag down before turning his back on her and pacing a few feet away. She watched him with uncertain eyes, wondering what was bugging him.

"I ain't a bad man." Daryl stated finally, turning back to her with something akin to manic in his eyes. Willa only blinked in response and continued to watch him. "Don't give me that look. I'm doing the best I can." He pushed a hand against his forehead and dragged it back into his hair, pulling the greasy strands off his face for a moment. "I don't know what I can do. If we run, if I take you, they'll hunt us. I'm not like them, I don't like what they do to you. But I can't...I just…"

"It's okay." Willa cut in carefully, watching the man struggle.

"No it ain't!" Daryl nearly shouted, pointing a finger at her. "You shouldn't even think that."

"What else can I do?" Willa asked, tears building in her eyes. "They'll kill me if I fight them. They give me food, they keep me alive."

"That ain't living." Daryl muttered sadly. He shot his arm out wide, waving it around but managed to keep his anger only to his gestures. "None of this is living. Surviving ain't living, not really." He turned and kicked a mound of dirt then almost burst into swears when his foot connected with a rock. Willa curled her lips inward and bit down on them to keep from saying anything as she watched the hunter rage over his problems. Her fingers wiggled and brushed along the edges of her wrist binds, feeling the sore rawness of her skin chafing beneath the rough material.

"Daryl…" Willa tried to gently coax him after several minutes passed. He ignored her and continued taking out his frustrations over their surroundings. Her blue eyes darted back towards where the men were making noises and talking. While she couldn't see them, she could just hear their voices. She wondered vaguely if she were to just walk away, how long before Daryl would notice.

But she couldn't do that. He was the only person who was nice to her, she couldn't try to use his distraction against him. They would kill him for letting her get away. She knew if either of them were going to survive through this, they would have to work together. With that in mind, she reached out her bound hands and gently placed them on Daryl's chest. Both of them jumped, him from the contact, her from his reaction, and for a minute they stayed silent. Willa watched him carefully, making a show of slow breathing, and couldn't help the slight smile as he slowly copied her, the angry tension dropping from him.

"You're not bad, Daryl." She whispered to him, taking a step closer. His hand lifted to grab hers, to remove them, but she pressed her hands firmly to his chest and felt his heart beating madly beneath them. "This isn't ideal, none of this is. But we got it, so...we...we should learn to use it...somehow."

"I gotta get more trust." Daryl muttered darkly, his self loathing returning. "The more Joe trusts me, the more time I can get with you, I'd wager. Give you less time with the rest of them." Willa nodded slowly, not entirely believing him but willing to take the chance of it. "Tell me about the guys, what do you know?"

"Not a lot, probably not much more than you." Willa muttered with a shrug. "Just...what they're like when they have their fun." She tilted her head thoughtfully for a moment with a deep frown. Daryl hated himself for the question now because it made her have to think about some of her worst times. "Joe talks. Not about anything really important, but not always stupid dirty talk. He bitches sometimes, and when he bitches, he gets rougher."

"Shit." Daryl muttered quietly to himself.

"Tony just...he doesn't do a whole lot out of the norm." Willa stated. Daryl glanced at hands and watchesd them twist around under their binds. He felt like shit with this but she didn't seem like she was going to stop. "Billy likes to talk about how he could take Lou's place. He wants to be Joe's second." She gave a shrug to that when Daryl lifted an eyebrow and he just gave a single nod. "Harley...well...Harley likes being rough. He likes blood play. Whenever he claims his time.."

"I get it." Daryl cut in darkly. He didn't want to hear anything that would make him try to kill anyone just yet. "What about the big one?"

"Dan?" Willa asked. Daryl gave a nod and received a shrug in answer. "I don't know. He doesn't ever...I mean, I don't spend time with him. Billy made a remark once about being me being too old and female for Dan." Both of them shared a disgusted look at the implications of that remark and seemed to come to a silent agreement that Dan was going to get a horrible death somewhere along the line.

"We're gonna figure something out, okay." Daryl stated. Willa looked at him, her eyes catching the distant firelight for a brief moment. "I'm gonna do what I can, keep you from that."

"It's okay, Daryl." Willa assured sadly. She reached her bound hands to his and held onto it. "I'm honestly...I just...I'm glad to have someone who even cares. These guys, they're not the first. I doubt they'll be the last. I just appreciate knowing that you're here."

Daryl stared at her, wanting to ask if she was messed in the head somehow, but held his tongue. He didn't know how a person could be fine with being treated like a sex toy so long as there was someone around who couldn't do jack shit but wasn't gonna touch them that way. He shook his head, made a slight noise in the back of his throat before he reached an arm out to put around her shoulders and draw her into his side. He knew how lousy he was at comforting people, he knew that he had nothing else to offer, but at the moment, this was all that could be done. Willa seemed to appreciate it, nonetheless. She leaned into him for a few moments of silence before she wiggled her hands against his shirt, mussing it up some. He knew what she was getting at with this and so they spent a few minutes just making each other look like they had had a roll in the dirt before heading back to their problems.

How's that for a first chapter to my first new story in...I can't remember how long.


	2. You're My Brother

**You're My Brother**

Took a couple months of planning and deliberating but I finally came up with more to this story. Proud to say I can continue with something. Now just on record, I'm not a hundred percent sure on which of each of the boys is which so I'm sort of just making up who's who, it's been a while. Really the only one I know is Dan just from there being descriptions of him being the one to try and assault Carl.

* * *

Daryl and Willa were no closer to escaping then they were any other day, but by this point, they were just hoping to survive. Daryl kept doing good by Joe's ideals and so his requests for time with Willa were often granted. Both of them knew it was going to start getting harder, more tricky for any of the men to believe that they were fucking whenever Daryl took her away but so far, no one asked.

Dan almost followed them once but Joe had called out that there was other things for the large man to focus on and so they got to continue their few moments of peace.

They didn't even talk about getting away anymore, and that's when Daryl realized just how hopeless they were. Willa almost didn't talk at all anymore, just sat silently with him for the thirty to sixty minutes that he was now allotted to "get to know her". Sometimes he'd ask her how she was holding up, if only to break the silence. She would usually just look at him sadly before pointing out the stars, or the leaves, or anything other than themselves, the men they were with, and their current situations.

If they weren't camped out, they were walking, and it didn't take long for Daryl to start keeping an eye out for any place that would have shoes better fitting than len's boots for the girl. He had contemplated one of the female walkers but then thought against it when he saw the state of it's feet.

"I think we found him." Tony muttered to Joe around the campfire late at night. Daryl lifted his eyes from the crossbow, brow raising under his hair. "He's with a woman and some boy."

"You sure it's him?" Joe asked, not bothering to keep his voice down. Tony exchanged a look with Harley before nodding. "Well well, looks like we're finally gonna get revenge for poor Lou. It's about time. Harley, you keep a watch on him, tomorrow night we'll close in."

"I claim the boy." Dan spoke up, a disgustingly gleeful look on his face. Daryl shot his eyes to Willa and she cringed before catching his gaze.

"Daryl, you're gonna see what happens to someone to kills one of our own." Joe informed the newest member. "It's a lot like when one of us lies...but much...much worse." He smiled when the other man looked his way and Daryl felt a twist in his stomach.

He fought through it and wondered if he could use this as a way to finally leave and bring Willa with him. If Joe trusted him to guard her, it would be simple while the others all surrounded the poor fool. He didn't know how far they could go, or even where they'd go. He wondered about the signs all around the train tracks, contemplating if they could make it before Joe caught up.

It might have to be a risk he'd have to take.

***WDWDWDWDWD***

Why?

Why did the unfortunate soul who killed Lou have to be Rick? Daryl clenched his teeth as he watched Joe taunt his 'brother' before his eyes shot to the bush where Willa was currently tied up. They had left him with her and he was about ready to take off when he realized who there. He didn't want to leave Willa on her own in case things went bad but he had to step up, he had to help Rick.

"Trust me." Daryl whispered to the girl before moving away. He didn't look at her, didn't need to see what scared expression she would have.

"...seven Mississippi, EIGHT Mississippi.." Joe chanted out, trying to gaud a reaction out of his captive.

"Joe!" Daryl called out, walking around the truck with an air of cautious behavior to him. All eyes looked his way, Rick with an almost unbelieving stare.

Daryl paused slightly as he looked between Rick and Michonne, checking out Joe and Tony with their guns at the pair while Harley and Billy stood further back, ready to shoot when needed. Out the corner of his eye, he could see Dan pressing his fat face to the window of the truck, a frightened Carl huddled inside.

"Hold up." Daryl finally stated as he took further steps closer to the trouble.

"You're stopping me on eight, Daryl." Joe pointed out, annoyed. Daryl positioned himself in front of Harley, keeping his eyes on Rick for a moment before glancing back up at Joe.

"Just hold up." He spoke softly, attempting to calm down whatever anger fueled the moment.

"This is the guy that killed Lou, so we got nothing to talk about." Harley remarked roughly, keeping his grip steady, gun raised. There was no doubt he wanted to just shoot now and get things over with.

"The thing about nowadays is we've got nothing but time." Joe stated, giving Harley a look and almost starting to be amused now that his initial anger at being interrupted had passed. He looked over at Daryl and the younger man he had to be careful with his words. He could see that he had finally made enough of an impression to get this moment and this was going to be the make or break time that would determine whose lives ended this night.

"These people…" Daryl started, his voice a little higher than usual. He took a quick moment to steady himself as he held Joe's gaze, gesturing slightly towards his friends. "You're gonna let them go. These are good people."

"Aww Daryl...I think Lou would disagree with you on that." Joe shook his head, disappointment evident in his expression and tone. "I'll of course have to speak for him...seeing as how you friend here strangled him in a bathroom and all."

There was no way out of this, he could tell. Daryl's eyes shot backwards to where he knew Willa was. He hadn't spoken to her, she didn't know what was going on, who these people were. He just hoped, with what he thought of next, that Rick would make sure she lived.

"You want blood, I get it, I do." Daryl muttered, putting down his crossbow and lifting his arms. "Take it from me...come on." He knew he had thrown off Joe with that, the look on the leader's face was anything but understanding. The confused expression might have offered any of them time to do something had they thought quick enough.

Unfortunately, they didn't.

"That's a damn lie." Joe remarked, waving a finger in Daryl's direction. "This man, he killed our friend. He ain't good people. I'm disappointed in you Daryl, I really am. But you know how we feel about liars." Harley was suddenly right at Daryl, ramming the butt of his rifle into the other man's stomach. Tony coming in from behind to join in the beat down. "Teach him fellas, I don't think he got it the first time round."

Harley's fist rammed into one side of his ribs while Billy hit at his head. Daryl fell against the trunk and glanced in at Carl as Dan finally pulled him out. His blood ran cold, hearing the pained sound the boy let out. He knew from Willa's words what would come of this, what Dan wanted to do. Daryl fell to the ground as the boys hit him with fists, feet and guns. He tried to cover up, tried to protect himself in some way. His eyes turned to see Rick struggling against Joe, see the flash in the man's eyes as a part of him shut down, another part starting to take control.

Officer Friendly was leaving.

"It was me, it was just me." Rick argued. If Daryl could speak out to him, he would tell him it was pointless to try and take it all on himself. He was learning that now, knew a bit of it before. He just hoped that whatever Rick became and would do in that heat, he'd find Willa and take her in.

"That's right, you got it!" Joe praised, leaning down to be level with Rick, keeping the barrel of his gun at the man's temple. "See,we can settle this. We're reasonable men, you'll find. First...now, first we're gonna beat Daryl to death. He lied, it's his punishment." He looked around at everyone present, contemplating. "Then we'll have the girl, then the boy. Least Dan will. Then we'll shoot you, and then...then we'll be square. Now ain't that easy?"

Over all the other sounds around him, Daryl could hear Joe laugh, could hear Carl struggling against Dan as the large man pinned him on the ground. He felt dirt in his eyes, blood and sweat cascaded across his face as he tried to hit back against the onslaught that rained upon him. Dan was laughing as well, and Rick...Rick was muttering something. Daryl got one clear shot, one long second look at everything around him.

Just beyond the truck, he could see Carl struggling to push Dan off, his shirt torn up his body, Dan pushing to pin the young boy's arms on the ground with one hand while the other went to his own zipper. Michonne was gazing between Tony and Rick, trying to figure out her best moment for attack as she had seen the change in Rick as well. And Rick…

A second later, Rick had slammed his head backwards into Joe and the gun had gone off, missing everyone. He got to his feet and rammed his fist into Joe, only to be knocked back down when Joe punched him right back to the ground. Michonne attempted to do the same, throwing a punch at Tony but getting knocked down as well. Daryl was lifted off the ground and thrown back into the truck and he could see Carl was turned onto his stomach, Dan's pants and belt open as the large man grabbed for the boy's pants. Rick stumbled up to his feet and Joe grabbed onto him, almost as if he were hugging him.

When Rick bit into Joe's neck and ripped out a chunk with his teeth, it felt like the world had gone completely quiet. Joe gagged on his own blood as he slowly crumbled to the ground, blood spurting out the wound. Harley and Billy stopped beating on Daryl, Tony moved back from Michonne, even Dan froze above Carl.

Michonne took the moment, grabbing Tony's gun and shooting him. Billy ducked under and ran as Daryl punched Harley back and Michonne fired at the same man before turning the gun on Dan, who now held Carl by a knife at the boy's throat. Carl stared with tears in his eyes, face dirty, clothes in shambles.

"I'LL KILL HIM!" Dan screamed, brandishing the knife by Carl's face. Daryl could see the whites of Michonne's eyes in her determined yet scared gaze as she kept the gun aimed at the larger man.

"Let the boy go." She warned.

"No." Rick muttered, taking a knife from Joe's body. A wild look was in his eye as he passed by Michonne, heading straight towards Dan. "He's mine."

Daryl stomped down hard on the side of Harley's neck, ensuring it broke, before picking up a bolt that had scattered away from his crossbow in the process of the tussle. He glanced in Rick's direction as the man approached Dan who quickly released Carl in favour of begging for his own life with his pants around his ankles. Daryl caught onto Michonne's eye before turning and heading back towards the bush, knowing exactly where Billy had gone off to.

"Get up...get up you worthless whore...move!" The man's voice hissed out in urgency not too far ahead. The bush that Daryl had left Willa had was vacant but clearly they hadn't gotten far. He ducked under the tree line and followed the voices, BIlly's urgent hissing, Willa's pained whimpers. He crept up alongside them as she fell to her knees in resistance. Billy glared down at her and swung his foot out to kick at her stomach. "You wanna die bitch, fine! I can find another." Billy crouched down, brandishing a knife in Willa's face. Her eyes widened and then shifted to the side.

"Hey Billy." Daryl muttered, just seconds before he rammed the bolt into the side of Billy's throat as the man turned to face him. He yanked it out just to stab it back in again. Willa shuffled backwards as blood sprayed around. Daryl crouched down over top of Billy when the dying man fell backwards and shoved the bolt into his eye.

Willa watched in silence as the last of her tormentors died, her blue eyes never lifting from the body.

***WDWDWDWDWD***

"How'd you wind up with them?" Rick asked softly, wiping the blood off his face as he looked at Daryl beside him. Both men sat beside the truck that currently held Michonne, Carl and Willa as they slept. Or at least, rested quietly. It wouldn't surprise either man if any of them were awake. There weren't many words said when Daryl rejoined them, Willa in tow. He introduced them and Rick had nodded only once before turning away. Michonne had been the one to quietly suggest the rest and Daryl had nudged Willa inside, telling her he wanted to keep an eye on Rick.

"I was with Beth." The hunter muttered. Willa, perched on the front seat, shifted the shirt that covered the broken window only slightly so that she could peek out. She caught Michonne's eye before the older woman went back to observing Carl sleeping. "We got out together. We were together for a while."

Willa watched Daryl's face carefully. She didn't know who Beth was but seeing the expression the man bore, she could tell he cared deeply for her. However he lost her, it was tearing him up inside. Willa wanted to know what happened because she wondered if it had to do with the way Daryl treated her. She frowned slightly in the few seconds of silence before Rick voiced her question for her.

"Is she dead?" the former deputy asked. Daryl lowered his head before turning it towards his friend. The look of defeat, of self loathing he carried made the girl in the truck want to hug him, tell him that it hadn't been his fault, whatever it was.

"She's just gone." Daryl finally spoke, his voice sounding with a finality that he had come to accept. "After that, that's when they found me. I knew they were bad." Willa shifted her eyes for a moment, watching Rick angrily clean the dried blood off his fingers. There was so much tension yet defeat between the two men. "They had a code...simple...stupid...but it...it just…"

"You were alone." Rick assured the man, coming to a conclusion that would hopefully help his brother.

"They said they were looking for some guy." Daryl continued his story. "Last night they said they spotted him. I didn't realize it was you. I was gonna leave. Was gonna take the girl and go while they were distracted. Then I saw you three."

Rick and Willa both watched Daryl as he spoke. Willa knew Rick had to be curious, had to wonder about her. The fact that he wasn't cutting in to ask spoke levels about the man.

"You being back with us here, now, that's everything." Rick stated. Daryl looked down, levels of insecurity keeping him from meeting the other man's gaze. "You're my brother." The speed of which the hunter's head came back up was remarkable. He looked so disbelieving but at the same time there was hope in his eyes. It was at this moment that Willa realized just how little she actually knew if Daryl. Were these actually brothers? Did either of them have other brothers? What had happened to bring them this close, to make Daryl look at Rick the way he was?

Both of them sat silently, not looking at each other for a minute, taking in the weight of Rick's words. Willa looked into the back seat, saw Carl's eyes open and looking in her direction, Michonne's hand rested lightly on his head. She held his gaze before sighing softly and lifting her eyes to Michonne. While the men outside were bonding through words, the people inside were making silent acknowledgements. They all knew in that moment of shared gazes what the other had gone through. The girls unhappily inducting Carl into the fold of unspoken understanding. Their pain, while not unacknowledged, didn't need words. But like the men outside, Willa made no physical contact through the understanding. That was too much too soon.

"So they had the girl before they found you?" Rick asked, directing all the attention back to the outside world.

"No...but not long after they found me." Daryl explained. His hand clenched on his knee as he contemplated that first night. "We covered in an old shop and she was already hiding in there. Joe decided to take her along." Willa could see Rick's hands clenching and twisting the little cloth as he imagined her torment. She really didn't want the pity, didn't want to feel like that would be all he'd see her as, some broken person they'd need to protect. She wanted to be something else, and in order to do that, she was going to need to overcome the things that had happened and learn to work with these people.

* * *

I need to figure out how I'm going to go through these seasons in this story so don't be surprised if it takes a while for the next chapter as well. But with Walking Dead returning on Sunday, I really wanted to get something up. There wasn't really a whole lot of Willa to this chapter, and she actually had no lines at all, but she'll build up soon, I promise. By the time we get to Alexandria and Negan, she's gonna be a much stronger person.


	3. Terminus

**Terminus**

And...it's been almost a year. Trust me, it's never deliberate. I've been trying to figure out how I'm going to do this, if I was going to do Terminus or just jump it. I decided I would do it but I wanted to do it differently. That itself, took some time to figure out as well. Finally, now, nearly twelve months later, I present you all with chapter three.

Side Note: I don't really know how long it was between arrival at Terminus and the break out, and I can't remember if it was ever mentioned anywhere, so I'm using my own minimal interpretation for the sake of this story.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXxx

Willa gritted her teeth and jiggled her foot nervously as she watched from the bushes as the others crept through the fence of the train station. Terminus stood, large and imposing, and there had been a debate on what they would do, how they would approach. There was no question as to sneaking in, but it took a lot of arguing as to who was going. Willa had started to insist on staying with them but the closer they got, the more uneasy she felt. Daryl had said they should use a watcher and, since Willa was still mostly untrained in weapons or fighting (although Daryl had taken her with him each time he went hunting and showed her how to use his crossbow), it made more sense to have her hang back with their spare weapons and a watch.

They gave her a time limit of two hours. They told her to stay in roughly the same area so they could find her again. They said if they weren't back in those two hours, she was to leave. Rick had been firm on his instructions to her, and firm on making sure she understood that, were she to leave with their stuff before the two hours and they came back, he would find her again. The way he had spoken had sent a chill down her back but Willa had assured him, with her eyes holding his, that she wasn't going to leave them, especially not Daryl.

That had all been nearly four hours ago and she still had no sight of any of them. There had been a lot of noise in the first hour but since then, things had gotten quiet. Willa couldn't stand not doing anything but she also didn't know what she alone could possibly do.

"Don't move." Cold metal touched her back between her shoulder blades, causing her to mentally curse at taking her jacket off even though it was hot. "I want you to stand up slowly, hands in the air, and move away from that bag."

"I...I'm not from here." Willa pleaded, doing as the female voice behind her instructed. "I came with four others, they went into the train station to find out…"

"I don't need your story!" The woman hissed, keeping her gun against the younger girl's skin. Willa let out a breath, caught between fear and frustration. "Stay right there and don't move." The gun point slid slightly and out the corner of her eye, Willa could see her bag get knocked over, a foot rummaging around the possessions that came out. The action slowed down considerably as Rick's red handled machete became visible. The young girl held her breath as she waited for whatever was going to come next. The foot stopped moving and the woman behind her was quiet for a long stretch. Only the distant sound of groaning walkers reached their ears.

"That belongs to Rick Grimes." Willa took the risk, turning her head just slightly to be able to get some idea of who she was dealing with. She knew people, if they knew of Rick, would have just as likely a chance of becoming helpful as they would killing her or holding her hostage with her newly made connection to the man. At this point though, she would risk the less desirable options, just for the sake of knowing that she at least made an attempt to save her friends.

"How do you know him?" The woman asked, gun back between Willa's shoulders, her own breath suddenly right by the girl's ear.

"Through Daryl." Willa spoke calmly. She slowly lowered her hands and risked turning around, coming face to face with an older woman with short grey hair. "Daryl saved my life."

"Then we need to save his." The woman decided firmly, as if the names of the two men was enough to convince her that this girl wasn't her enemy. She picked up the bag and led Willa away from the station.

It surprised the younger woman how little persuasion was needed to convince her to cover herself in dirt and grime to mix in with the walkers that were moving towards the fence. As the two women made their way out of the forest to scope the situation, Willa felt oddly confident with her momentary companion, Carol, and was ready to believe the two of them could save the others.

"There." Carol whispered, looking through the fence. Willa followed her gaze and saw men lifting a bound and gagged Rick, dragging him across the ground. Daryl, Michonne and Carl were dragged after him, as well as people the brunette didn't recognise. "Come on, we need a better position."

Silently they crept along the fence line, watching through the chain link as the people within the inner fenced space moved around, as if oblivious to what was happening mere feet from them. Carol lifted her rifle to look through the scope, watching people at the fence stabbing through to the walkers on the other side before gesturing at something and running away.

"Carol." Willa hissed, crouching down and tugging on the woman's arm. Both of them looked to the side, seeing a large group of walkers staggering aimlessly towards the train station.

"Get that flare set up." Carol instructed, looking back through the scope. Willa blinked, mildly confused, but did as she was told, propping the flare through the links in their fence. She looked back to the older woman when the rifle fired, the slight 'ting' of the bullet hitting metal sounding out. Looking in the direction she was sure Carol was firing, Willa finally noticed the tank on the other side of Terminus's fence. The second she realised just what her companion was doing, a shot made good of it's hit, popping a leak in the tank, smoke billowing out at the approaching walkers. "Light the flare, now."

"On it." Willa agreed, lighter already in hand. The flame sparked up the fuse, sending the flare out, straight into the smoke. The tanker erupted, dead bodies flying as black smoke and flames rose up in the air through the now broken fence. Following the older woman's lead, Willa quickly rose and moved from their location.

"You stay close, stay alert." Carol ordered, pressing a gun into the brunette's hand as they made their way through the walkers, past the broken fence. "We'll look quick and head back out."

"But…" Willa started to question.

"They can get themselves out." Carol stated firmly, creating a reminder of the strength the others held. Willa gripped onto the gun, glancing at it quickly and gnawing on her lip. "We need to get as many weapons away from these people as possible."

Carol shot people on the way as they walked through the chaos but Willa had yet to raise her gun, too unsure to make a move. No comment was made on the behaviour even though she knew there was silent judgement happening in the older woman's mind. They found the weapons with minimal looking, Willa reverently picking up Daryl's crossbow and slinging the strap across her shoulder. Carol took Michonne's sword and gathered the other weapons before they hurried on, finding themselves in a room lit with candles.

Gunfire rang outside and the sounds of the dead grew closer then either cared for. Quickly and quietly they made their way across the room, heading for the opposite door and hopefully their way out of this forsaken place.

"Drop your weapons and turn around, I want to see your faces." A new woman's voice sounded behind them and Willa near instantly dropped the gun just from the command. Her eyes darted to Carol who hadn't moved but also looked fearful and mildly ashamed. They hadn't looked when they came in, hadn't taken stock of the room, and now they were paying for it. "NOW!"

Their eyes met and Carol gave the smallest of nods before leaning slightly to let the sword fall to the floor. Willa bent the slightest bit over and let the gun fall to the floor with a clank. She was more careful to lower the strap for the crossbow. A split second look told her Carol was reaching for the rifle and Willa threw herself onto the floor as the older woman turning, letting loose a barrage of shots at their would be attacker who had no other choice but to dive out of the way. The new woman lost her gun and Carol was quick to race over, kicking the weapon out of reach.

Willa rolled over and watched them scuffle, knocking over candles as the pair rose and fell, struggling to gain the upper hand. She took their lack of attention on her as a way to dig into the bag, getting her hand around a bolt for the crossbow and frantically load the sharp tool into it's housing. The two women rolled apart, the attacker picking up a piece from broken stand as Carol readjusted her grip, rising to their feet to face each other once more. The rifle was steady, pointed directly at the woman's chest, who looked defeated in that moment, lowering her makeshift weapon.

"The signs, they were real." She spoke with a heavy sign. Her expression one of tired resignation as she seemed to become aware of what was to happen. "It was a sanctuary. People came and took this place."

"Just tell me…" Carol started, beginning to look uncertain about her position, wavering in her stance.

"And they raped." The woman continued with a break in her voice. "And they killed, and they laughed."

Willa looked between the women, crossbow tilted up but not quite aimed anywhere specific as she stayed on the floor, positioned behind the unknown woman, watching Carol's face for any sign of something to do.

"Over weeks!" The Woman's voice got louder as her breathing shifted, almost to a sobbing state. "But we got out, and we fought, and we got it back! And we heard the message!" She seemed to shift again, settling down into a new level of hysteria: the eerie calm. "You're the butcher or you're the cattle."

"The men they pulled from that train car," Carol spoke up loudly, wanting to be heard this time. Her grip adjusted again, her frame stiffening against the woman's sob story. "Where are they?" When the woman didn't respond, choosing instead to just stand there resiliently, Carol tilted her rifle and fired the shot to her leg.

"Wha.." Willa jumped with a yelp as the woman gave out a pained cry, falling to the floor and clutching her leg.

"WHERE ARE THEY?" Carol repeated even louder, lowering the angle of the rifle.

"Carol…" Willa hissed carefully, getting onto one knee, crossbow tilted towards the woman on the floor even though there didn't seem to be any threat at all anymore. The grey haired woman shot the brunette a warning glare before angling the rifle back on their enemy.

"Now...point it...at my head." The woman instructed through gritted teeth. Her new state of manic brought her to tears as she sobbed through her pain and anger. "You could have been one of us. You could have listened to what the world is telling you."

"You lead people here, take their stuff, kill them...eat them...and...you're saying she could have been part of that?" Willa questioned in disgust, finally getting to her feet, bag slung over her shoulder, crossbow aimed as she stepped in beside Carol. The simple statement from the crippled woman brought about a newfound sense in the young woman. There was no joining to be had in this place, especially not now. Not after everything.

"No...not at first." The woman panted out, gasping in breaths. Panic was evidently overcoming her. "It's what we had to be. And because of that, we're still here."

The sad realisation of the woman's fate hit Willa like a freight train and she lowered the crossbow, putting her other hand on Carol's arm, adding slight pressure to get her to lower the rifle.

"There's nothing more here." The young woman remarked. Her eyes moved to the wounded woman on the floor and a sigh crossed her lips. "For anyone."

"Let's get out of here." Carol insisted, receiving no argument as she crossed to the far door, Willa right behind her. They opened the door, letting the walkers in and slipping out as the woman screamed her objection on deaf ears.

 _***WDWDWDWDWD***_

Carol handed over wet wipes to Willa as they made their way back through the forest, discarding the disgusting sheets they had worn to hide among the dead. Their steps slowed as they heard voices, Willa feeling wildly uncertain as it came from the general area that she was meant to be.

"She's probably long gone, we told her to be, we ain't got no extra weapons now." Daryl's gruff voice was tinged with sadness and the young woman felt an ache in her chest at being the cause of it, even though she knew that it was unfounded. Her pace picked up minimally, she didn't want to seem too eager in front of the woman whom she'd just witnessed accomplish so much.

"That place is on fire." An unknown woman's voice stated in a tone that spoke she wanted finality.

"We're not dicking around with this crap, we just made it out." A heavy southern accent spoke up. Willa could see a whole group of people crowding around, Daryl and Rick's backs towards her and Carol. She couldn't help the tiny smile forming as she got nearer to them.

"The fences are down, they'll run or die." Another brunette woman, equally southern as the rest, looked pleadingly at Rick as if trying with her words and eyes to get through to the slight mania that was overcoming the leader.

"Daryl." Willa spoke out, unable to hold back anymore and increasing her pace as she watched the hunter turn. A shocked and relieved look came across his face as he moved to greet her at almost the same pace she was accomplishing. She threw her arms around him, face buried into his vest as she felt his arms lock tightly around her. His head turned, cheeking pressing to the top of her head and his eyes closed for the moment. When he opened them again, he was looking directly at Carol.

"Hi." Carol muttered quietly.

"Hi." Daryl returned the greeting, a warm grateful look on his face.

"Did you do that?" Rick asked, coming up beside Daryl and looking at the girls. Willa looked at him, feeling uncertain over who he was more surprised to see. Carol looked like she was holding back tears as she gave a single nod, tucking her lips in to stem off crying. Why she seemed to feel she had to hold a strong front before Rick, Willa was sure, but the tears fell freely when the man hugged her.

"You have to come with me." Carol insisted when she and Rick finally moved apart from each other. Willa shifted herself under Daryl's hold and he dropped one of his arms, swiping the crossbow off her shoulder in the process but kept the other arm lodged firmly across her shoulders as he tucked her in beside himself.

Daryl had felt well beyond hopeless when they had returned to the forest to find Willa and the weapons gone. It crept up on him, the nagging sensation that he had let down another girl. He couldn't help himself from refusing to release her from his grasp, even as the group followed Carol to a new destination, no one knowing what lay ahead of them. He just wanted to ensure that this girl was safe. He was mildly annoyed that she hadn't listened to express instructions to leave after two hours but his gratitude overcame it.

And it was all worth it to see Rick and Carl reunite with the baby. A warmth spread through his chest as he watched the little family connect and he glanced down at Willa, watching her wipe a tear from her cheek as a smile crossed her mouth.

 _***WDWDWDWDWD***_

"I'm proud of you." Daryl spoke quietly as they took watch by the low fire. Everyone who didn't know each other had been introduced, accepted among the group, and walked together a ways until it had gotten too dark. Camp has been set up and now the majority were taking naps and lightly dozing in a fitful slumber. Daryl and Willa sat away from the group, relatively hidden in the shadows with their people to one side and the open road to the other. The calm surrounding them was momentary, the risk of it breaking being ever high.

"For what?" Willa asked, lifting her head from his shoulder. They hadn't spoken much since taking over watch and Willa had begun it standing near him. As the time progressed, they had sat down, the girl gradually moving closer to the man as the temperature lowered until she was curled up at his side, his arm slung on her shoulders once more.

"For working with Carol to get us out." Daryl continued, his hand squeezing slightly on her shoulder. "Someone you didn't know."

"For you." Willa spoke up before she could stop herself. She felt a tension come across Daryl as his head slowly tilted down, eyes looking to hers in the dark. Her lower lip was captured between her teeth, unsure how else to continue.

Daryl didn't know how to process her admission. He knew she was attached to him, it was hard to not notice when she stayed by his side as often as possible, every chance she got. He was the one that took care of her with Joe's boys, he was the one that vouched for her competence with Rick. He didn't want to admit it but he knew his chest had crumbled when they returned to the forest, only to find it empty. He chastised himself for thinking she would still be there after the orders giving to leave after a certain time, and it had been double that by the time they had returned. His insides crumbled under the thought that he had lost another person that he cared about, that had gotten under his skin.

Another girl who made him see things differently.

It was inexplicable the relief he felt when her roughened voice called out to him and he turned around to see her standing only a few feet away, his crossbow over her shoulder, a smile on her face. Hugging her wasn't exactly the urge he had felt at the time but given the audience, it was by far the better option, especially with all the newer people. There was a wild second where he thought he was so destroyed that he had just imagined her there but then his hands touched her warm skin, his face buried in her hair, inhaling the scent of smoke and that tangy scent he had come to relate to her. He completely forgot about everyone else around him as he absorbed her presence, his grip on her being enough to calm the adrenaline coursing through him after the escape.

Then he saw Carol and another flutter came to his chest but this was different. His friend was back, the only woman he hadn't managed to let down in any way until Willa came along. Knowing she had been instrumental in their escape and had pulled Willa out of her shell, Daryl felt mass amounts of gratitude for the childless mother.

"Daryl." Willa whispered, almost as if she were afraid to even make a sound in the silence that overcame them. His eyes blinked as he came back to the present situation and he took stock on the conditions.

Their group to their side, sleeping or just quietly reflecting, getting "reacquainted" in a few cases, judging by the soft ragged breaths that came from more than one location. Open empty road along the other side. Trees at a distance in front of them, far enough away for them to see anything that could come out of their depths. The fire burning so low, it was at risk of going out.

And the girl beside him, her legs tucked up under her body, hands lightly twisting at her loose jeans over her thighs. Her shoulder pressed lightly against his ribs as she remained leaning on him and her head tilted back, her dark eyes seeming even deeper in the blackness of the night, her hair equally so as it cascaded over his own arm in it's tangled waves. The smoke smell still lingered on her but he assumed it was on himself as well and it truly didn't bother him. He looked back at her face, his eyes zeroing in on her tongue as it peaked out, wetting her lips before retreating, letting her lower lip free from the confines of her teeth.

Neither of them could say who really moved first. A harsh shudder had coursed through Willa's body against the cold and she moved higher as he moved lower. Perhaps it was accidental, perhaps one, or both, of them had made the gesture. However it started, it ended with a pair of chapped lips pressed down on a pair of tender ones. Willa's right hand lifted and grasped onto the hand holding her shoulder, the left raising to lightly brush it's fingertips on the stubble of the man's chin. His opposite hand gradually reached out, barely daring to touch his fingers across her mid section. She curved herself closer into him, letting go of his hand to place that hand on his cheek while the other tucked in between them. He tightened his arm behind her head and parted his lips against hers.

The sound of Judith crying broke them apart and Willa ducked her head down to avoid looking up at Daryl. For his part, he loosened his hold ever so slightly, hand running gently along her upper arm. Her tension relaxed under the touch and her eyes lifted slowly to catch his.

"Sounds like Rick's up." Willa whispered. Daryl gave a slight nod, shifting his eyes to look towards the camp before returning to the girl. "He'll probably take the rest of watch if the baby is awake."

"Wanna get some shut eye?" Daryl asked, his voice coming out gruffly under the sudden dryness of his mouth. He received a nod in answer before Willa slowly got to her feet, stretching out her stiff limbs. Daryl watched her for a minute and accepted her hand when she reached down to him. They moved toward the group as Rick got out of an abandoned car, the infant on his hip. The men exchanged looks and a nod, the leader letting his right hand and the girl take the car for a couple hours of rest without a word passing between them.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXx

I'm pretty much convinced that the next chapter I write, whenever that comes out, will be Grady Hospital. I managed to write this one within the span of twenty four hours even though it took me eleven months to even start it so perhaps there's hope for me yet.


	4. Beth

**Beth**

Less than a year! Might be I got a groove back, who knows, but let's see what I can do. Keep in mind, I really want Beth and Willa to interact so Willa is gonna take Carol's role for Grady hospital. I can't for the life of me seem to actually find anything for the episode and my regular viewing platform doesn't have what I need to be able to sit back and watch the entirety of one or two episodes just for the clips within the hospital (other than that dreaded moment that still wounds my poor heart to this day). So a great deal of this chapter will most likely be thought up on my own, which works for the situation and what these two girls are and mean to the same man.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Willa kept her breathing as slow as possible even though her ribs felt like they were burning with each intake of air. She refused to open her eyes, feeling unnervingly watched as whoever was with her analysed her state of being. There was what seemed to be a thin mattress beneath her, lord knew where she was but the mattress was a dead giveaway that she wasn't with the others. Her body felt heavy in various places and she wondered just what she had gotten herself into this time.

In the middle of mentally chastising herself, everything flooded back to her. The church, the priest Gabriel, the searching, the man Noah with the rough limp. She remembered now, remembered his panic, remembered his words and his exchange with Daryl.

 **Earlier**

 _"I have to go, they probably heard that shot, they're going to find me." Noah whispered near frantically as he looked out the window. Daryl, Carol and Willa all looked at him, Willa looking the most sympathetic of the three as she wondered just what this man was worried about._

 _"Who?" Daryl asked, an interest peeking in his eyes. Carol moved forward to look out the window as Noah started to head out of their current hiding place._

 _"Them. The people at the hospital." Noah stated absently as he brushed beyond Willa. Daryl seemed to have other ideas and reached out, holding Noah in place._

 _"Wait wait wait, just tell us, is there a blonde girl there?" He asked, his face changing beneath his unruly hair. Willa looked at him and raised an eyebrow before looking at Noah who looked both scared at being stopped and confused by the question he was being asked. "You see a blonde girl?"_

 _"Beth?" The young man questioned incredulously. "You know her?" Willa's eyes widened as realisation dawned on her and she shot her head to the side to look at Carol whose interest was piqued as well suddenly._

 _Beth, the girl that Daryl carried endless guilt over, the girl that was taken, the girl who had been seemingly forever lost...could now be found. It seemed almost too good to be true but then, how many blonde girls named Beth could there be in this part of the country?_

 _"She helped me get out, but she's still there." Noah informed them, looking between all the people around him._

 _"They're coming." Carol spoke up, looking out the window. Willa felt a hand on her arm as Noah reached to her, pushing her and Daryl toward the door._

 _"We gotta go, we gotta go now." His frantic panic was evidence and they didn't argue, knowing what was behind it. He spoke about a basement in the building across the street as he tried to lead them, limping along the way at a quick pace._

 _His leg gave out from the pressure he was putting on it and he ended up falling to the floor._

 _"Hey.." Willa stepped around him and turned to look down at him._

 _"I got him, go." Daryl urged. He and Carol stooped enough to grab at the young man's back, both shooting looks at Willa to keep going. The girl knew better at this point then to argue either of them and she hurried across the floor, pushing open the glass doors and running outside._

 _Her eyes swept one direction then the other as her feet carried her onto the road, completely missing the big white car that came up beside her._

 **Present**

There was an itch on her neck and Willa did her best to keep a straight, calm face at the irritant that rose up. She still wasn't alone, she still couldn't give herself away. What the hell could she do though? How long would she have to fake unconscious? Would it be possible to just manage to fall back asleep? Probably not, under the circumstances. Everything felt on edge and she absolutely hated it.

"I know you're not asleep." The soft, feminine southern voice finally spoke up and Willa felt herself pause her slow breathing. "Please."

Slowly, blue eyes opened to catch blue eyes. Willa couldn't help but be positively certain this was Beth, just from everything she had learned from the entire group over the last few weeks. The blonde had her hands gently holding the vest that Daryl had taken off his back to put over Willa after the van fall and caused her shirt to tear. The brunette could remember the touch of his hands, brushing down her arms after the leather fit up her shoulders. There was a hopeful gleam in the blonde's eyes as she gazed at the newcomer to the hospital.

"You're Beth." Willa decided to bluntly state. Her companion was mildly shocked then a look of understanding replaced it and she gave a nod of agreement. "I'm Willa."

"Is Daryl okay?" Beth asked, holding out the vest. Willa carefully sat up, noting the pain in her chest and lifted her arm to grasp onto the leather. The blonde released it easily and both girls let it fall onto the brunette's lap.

"He's fine. Been looking for you." Willa informed softly, glancing at the slightly ajar door with some level of suspicion. "I met him not too long after you were taken. Got to the rest of your group, your sister and brother in law."

The hopeful gleam turned into a shining beacon as Beth straightened up in her chair, one hand reaching out to gently grasp her sudden friend's own appendage. The relief flooded across her features and a new sense of determination overtook her. A resolve to escape with this girl and get back to her family took over. This time she knew it would happen, this time she knew they were looking for her, they were close, and they now would doubly be looking for Willa as well.

"And Noah." WIlla suddenly remembered. The smile that came to Beth's face could have lit up a pitch black cave. That was it, that made things one hundred percent likely, doable. If the girls couldn't get their own way out, the group would get in and they would take no alternatives to retrieving them. All they had to do was survive.

***WDWDWDWDWD***

"We trust them?" Carol muttered, standing with Rick and Daryl. Sasha and Tyreese stood further back, guarding the two police officers they held captive, hoping to exchange them for the girls held prisoner in the hospital. Nearby, Noah stood uneasily, his bad leg making it a challenge that they could clearly see paining him but he kept quiet.

"They're determined to live, determined to have a stance against this cop in charge." Rick mused, scratching at his chin beneath his beard. "They'll cooperate with the plan."

"They made their own story." Daryl agreed, his back towards the others as he gnawed on his cuticle, looking at the wall in front of him.

"People who are afraid will say anything to spare their lives." Carol pointed out.

"They'll cooperate." Rick reaffirmed. Carol didn't look convinced but she nodded her consent and moved away, leaving the two men to their own devices once more. Rick looked at the man he called brother and watched the range of emotions play across his face. Daryl was going through every feeling, every plan, forcing himself to believe that they would succeed and then Willa and Beth would be right back where they belonged.

With the group.

With him.

"Who are you more anxious for?" Rick asked quietly, bringing the other man out of his revere with a jolt, eyes turning to meet the other.

"I want em both back, Rick." Daryl replied, his voice scratchy from his dry throat. Rick gave a nod, slow and understanding, but the question still lingered and Daryl wasn't sure if he could honestly answer it.

Beth was...Beth. She made him believe in good people again, gave him back light and hope when everything crumbled away from them after the prison. When they were convinced that no one else had survived or at least, would ever be seen again, she reminded him that people did still care in the world. He had been blaming himself all this time for her capture and hadn't allowed himself the hope that she might still be alive somewhere. Now it was like she was at his fingertips and he was anxious about making sure she was alive.

But Willa…

The first kiss replayed itself in his mind, the quiet world, the soft fire, the chill in the air. Her soft lips touching his chapped ones and her hair under his fingers brought him to a sense of peace. Followed by that was the kiss after Gareth and the remainder of the Terminus cannibals were killed. The night, once again, peaceful and quiet after some time of hell and danger.

And everyone else, once more, distracted elsewise.

 **Few Days Ago**

 _Daryl followed Willa out of the hatch under the church, stepping out to the clearing surrounding the building and taking a deep breath of the fresh air. His eyes found the girl in the darkness and he watched her stand with her arms spread behind her, head tilted back, almost as if she thought to drink in the moonlight._

 _"I might almost be put off meat entirely now." Willa muttered into the night air, receiving a chuckle in return. Her head tilted forward and she looked at him with a cheeky little smile, as if finding his mirth at her statement to be humorous as well. With almost lightning speed, she reached forward with a chilled hand and grasped onto his wrist, tugging him into the trees. He tensed, his mind bringing him back to when they were with the Claimers and their situation between the trees._

 _All of that faded as she used her smaller body to push his against a tree trunk. There was a moment hesitation, as if she questioned her own actions. With her returned determination, she leaned herself against him and pressed her lips to his. He felt tense for a moment before his hands grabbed hold of her hips, pulling her in closer. Her own hands found their way into his hair, fingers threading through the strands to push them back off his face. He could feel her lips against his, curving upwards slightly in a smile and he let one of his hands slide across to her back, pushing up her shirt to rest on the bare skin. Her fingertips scratched lightly at his scalp while her hips pressed lightly against his own. Their lips were slow, gentle, hardly opening against each other._

 _All of that changed when her teeth lightly caught his lower lip and tugged it as she leaned her head back away from his, eyes searching his own in the dark._

 _His grip tightened on her as he spun them around, pressing her back to the tree. His hand under her shirt moved back to her hip as the other swooped down her thigh, tugging her leg up around his waist so that he could get even closer, press into her body. Her fingers tightened on his hair and used that new leverage to pull him back to her, this time engaging his tongue with hers as their lips connected once more. She let out a moan into his mouth at the feel of his whole body moving against hers, the friction becoming intoxicating and downright sinful. She could feel the length of him pressing against her centre, their jeans barring them for any closer contact. He made a slight grunting sound as her hips rolled, creating more friction between their two bodies._

 _Willa broke the kiss first, her head falling back against the tree as her lungs burned for air. Daryl's head followed hers forward, foreheads pressed together as their breathless pants mingled between them. Neither one opened their eyes as their motions slowed to a stop. It wouldn't do well to return to a church full of their comrades with any damnable evidence to their ministrations. It almost felt brutally unfair that they silently agreed that this was not the place for further actions. Slowly, her fingers loosened from his hair, the warm digits sliding out from between the strands to run along the sides of his neck and across his shoulders. Her eyes opened to catch his and her chin tilted forward for the slightly touch between their lips before he eased her leg back down to the forest floor._

 _"Give it a few more minutes, we'll go back to the others." Daryl's voice was rough, almost strained. WIlla could only nod as she still felt the effects of their entanglement against her stomach. He gradually moved himself from her, taking deep breaths to calm his raging circulations as a hand rubbed across his face. When he turned back to her only to see her watching him, her tongue brushing out across her lips, it took a monumental amount of control not to go straight back to where they were moments before. If it weren't for the fact that none of the others were told that they were sneaking out, the idea might have even been tempting, but he didn't want to risk that sort of panic in their group and the potentially compromising position they could be found in._

 _None of that, however, stopped him from putting his hand to her shoulder and sliding across her back to lead her back through the trees to the church, maintaining contact on her._

 **Present**

"We're getting them both out of there." Daryl was firm in his belief system now as he looked to his claimed brother who only gave him a partial smile in response.

The same damn partial smile he had received upon return to the group in the church that night. Rick knew and Daryl knew full well that he knew. Whether or not any of the others knew was still a bit of a mystery to him but there was no denying that the other man was well aware of the way the redneck felt about the young woman.

"Let's make this trade." Rick stated firmly. With a nod in response, the former deputy headed off to where the police officers had said a patrol would pass through.

It was time to get their girls back.

***WDWDWDWDWD***

"She's gone." Beth whispered to Willa a minute or so after Dawn left the room. Willa carefully opened her eyes and looked at the blonde, almost surprised by the expression on her face. After everything the brunette had heard, it was a strange reaction to see. Beth's resolved seemed almost doubled at this point whereas Willa had wondered if she might have been reconsidering. Things almost seemed good for the blonde in this Hospital, albeit there was situations that got out of hand, but she clearly held a favour with the lieutenant.

"You really hate her that much?" Willa asked quietly, slowly sitting up even though the action was painful on her ribs. Once again, she mentally reminded herself to always look before running across the street. Even in the apocalypse, there was clearly always a chance to get run over.

"Not hate her." Beth answered, standing up. "But I can't like her. She lets things happen that should never happen. The people are mistreated by her officers because she's too afraid to stand up to them. They don't have respect for her anymore, they walk all over her."

Willa couldn't even say anything in response, she couldn't even recall ever seeing such a thing. Even before the dead started walking, people in authority positions were always respected as far as she knew. The Claimers respected Joe, the group respected Rick. How anyone could be a leader without respect fell beyond her comprehension.

"You know...I uh...I've never actually seen Daryl without this one." Beth muttered shyly as if she wasn't sure on the direction of her own attempted small talk. Her eyes were resting on the Angel Wing vest currently laid across the bed over the brunette.

"Well...you must have seen what my shirt was like." Willa tried to joke but it was obvious there was some sort of tension now between them. Beth wasn't dumb, she could understand the meaning of Daryl parting with his beloved vest for this girl before her. Willa, for her part, could see that Beth had feelings for Daryl, ones that seemed like they had been brewing for at least the time that the two were running together before her capture.

"He must really care about you." Beth stated lightly, lifting her eyes to Willa's face. The other woman could only nod, unsure of how else to deal with the turn of conversation. "You kept that good in him alive."

"I guess so." Willa mused softly, brushing her fingers across the vest. Beth's shadow touched the bed before the blonde sat down, her cast covered hand lightly resting over Willa's and both women turned their eyes upon each other.

"Do you love him?" Beth's question, in all it's simplicity, felt far too loaded. The implication was heavy and all the feeling behind it felt almost too stifling to comprehend. The brunette almost looked fearful as she gazed into the blonde's eyes, silently trying to understand and be understood. The tiniest of smiles came to Beth's face and she nodded just once before looking at the door. "I think I do too."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Gave you another kiss, this time heavier, and left it at such a moment that I damn well hope I get the next chapter out before long.


	5. The Trade

**The Trade Off**

The continuation/conclusion of the Grady hospital time. People are going to hate me for this one, and honestly, I sort of hated writing it but it did, in the end, need to be done. Truthfully, it's taken me this long to figure out which way I wanted to go.

 _XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

"I'm Rick Grimes, I was a deputy at the King County's Sheriff Department." Rick introduced himself with his hands in the air as he faced the two police officers aiming their guns at him. On a rooftop overlooking the exchange, Daryl aimed a rifle down at one of the officers, Carol covering the other. The air was thick with the tension for this exchange, no one wanted to have to storm the hospital, not with the numbers they had.

Daryl watches steadily as Rick slowly put his colt on the ground and straightened back up, turning in place to show the officers her didn't have any other weapons on his person. One officer kept his gun on the group leader while the other wavered his aim. His attention shifted just slightly as a walker started staggering up behind the officers. He heard the inhale from beside him and the slight noise as Carol pulled her trigger, shooting through the walker's head with a silenced shot that brought a look of apprehension to the officers on the ground.

Rick's posture was completely at ease at that point as his hand held his belt after making a gesture. The officers looked at each other before slowly lowering their guns, uncomfortably understanding their position in this matter.

"We're getting them." Carol whispered softly, shifting her eyes to her companion. Daryl only grunted in response, not taking his eye off the scope to watch the officers. Inside, a hopefully feeling bloomed open at the prospect that they were probably less than a hour away from having Willa and Beth back among them. He had to reign in his anger, knowing that both girls would likely look like hell and he'd want to murder every one of those officers because of it, even if it wasn't any of their faults.

He just needed to keep it together, keep his face up. He'd contemplate his own emotions and those of the two women he cared about when everyone was safe and as far away from this hellhole as possible.

He fucking hated Atlanta.

 _***WDWDWDWDWD***_

"Well, looks like we have a situation on hand." Dawn's voice in the quiet hospital room made both girls jump in surprise. The Lieutenant didn't even look shocked by the fact the brunette was awake as she stood with her arms crossed in the doorway, a bundle of clothes held against her chest under her arms. "Your people have my people...and they want you back."

"You're going to do the exchange?" Beth asked, standing up from the bedside, suspicion in her eyes.

"I don't have a choice if I want my people back, now do I?" Dawn didn't look any too pleased by the position she was put in. "They're on their way here." She tossed the clothes onto the bed, Willa recognising her ripped shirt with fresh stitches in the pile. "Get changed."

The door closed behind the Lieutenant and the girls looked at each other, contemplating the situation.

"You're going to see Maggie again." WIlla pointed out, smiling at her new friend. She reached out and took the girl's hand, bringing attention onto herself. "And Glenn...Rick...Daryl."

"Yeah." Beth agreed, nodding. She gripped onto the brunette's hand as if it were a lifeline in that moment, trying to ground herself to the situation.

"We're going to leave, Beth." Willa stated firmly, wanting to convey it to the blonde. "We're getting out of here. This is all going to be over."

"Are you going to need help?" Beth asked, letting go of Willa's hand and reaching for her yellow shirt among the clothing. The brunette was stunned for a moment, trying to figure out why the blonde didn't have any enthusiasm before finally shaking her head and climbing out of the bed. Silently the two changed from the hospital clothing into the articles they had worn upon capture. The brunette was nearly surprised to find her stuff had been cleaned but she gratefully slipped into the jeans that seemed to have shrunk during washing. The denim hugging onto her hips just a little bit better than previously, even though she was certain she had lost weight in her pretended unconsciousness.

Willa turned in time to see Beth slip something up her cast but didn't question the action. Slowly the two walked out of the hospital room, neither looking back at it's stark whiteness. The doctor met them in the hallway with a wheelchair, insisting Willa sit. While the prospect irritated her, the brunette conceded, silently glad when Beth took over steering as they walked down the hallway.

Dawn and three officers stood stiff and waiting as the two patients and doctor arrived at the meet spot. The officers had their guns in hand, ready to raise them as the sound of footsteps drew nearer. Through the window in the door, Willa could see Rick's face and she honestly couldn't remember ever being happier to see him. He was taking stock of what they were up against, she had no doubt about it. Dawn and Rick seemed to hold a standoff with their eyes across the way before the Lieutenant's arms uncrossed and she pressed the side of the radio on her shoulder.

"Holster your weapons." Dawn instructed with an air of finality. Willa felt Beth's cast covered hand on her shoulder and unconsciously lifted her own to touch at her fingers, silently reassuring each other that this was almost over. The officers put their guns away reluctantly as the doors opened, more officers leading the way in. Dawn stepped to the side and looked at the two girls expectantly, a gleam in her eye showing how unhappy with the situation she was.

Beth pushed the wheelchair forward slowly, keeping her eyes forward as two of the four officers currently accompanying her group crossed the hallway to join with them.

"They haven't been harmed." Rick called across. Willa watched him before turning her eyes to Daryl, his expression unreadable from this distance but just having him there, knowing that he was safe and this was ending brought a calm over her.

"Where's Lamson?" Dawn asked, confusion over only facing two of her people clearly etched into her features.

"Rotters got him." The female officer across the hall stated.

"We saw it go down." The male agreed, his expression just as unreadable as any of the others.

Somehow, Willa didn't believe them, but she wasn't about to point that out.

"I'm sorry to hear that." Dawn remarked, looking skeptical for a few seconds before nodding her acceptance. Willa glanced up at her, unsure just how convinced the Lieutenant was and a sense of unease came to her once more. "He was one of the good guys. One of yours for one of mine."

"Move." Daryl's gruff demand, quiet as it was, still crossed the hallway as he shoved the male officer forward. Willa looked up as one of the officers took the wheelchair from Beth and pushed it to the middle, Willa's bag in his hand.

The closer she got to Daryl, the more her insides become conflicted. The unease increased as the moment became filled with tension, but a sense of relief was also present as Daryl reached forward, snatching the bag and taking the wheelchair, pushing it to their friends. His hand fell onto Willa's shoulder and he squeezed it lightly, feeling his own leather beneath his palm. Willa turned in the chair as Rick brought the female officer forward, Dawn bringing Beth to the middle in time with his steps. This was the make or break moment and a sudden sense of dread came upon the brunette as she caught the blonde's eye across the way.

The female officer passed to her people and Rick put his hand behind Beth's neck, laying a soft brush of his lips to her forehead in a familiar greeting to a long lost friend. Beth passed by him to the others and Willa stood up from the chair, sick of it already. She reached out and took Beth's open hand, squeezing it slightly even as the dread remained inside. Daryl put his arm over Beth's shoulders and directed her to the others, urging both girls to start leaving.

"Glad we could work this out." Dawn spoke behind them.

"Yeah." Was Rick's only response as he turned to go with his people. Everyone was walking, ready to get as far away from the hospital as possible.

"Now I just need Noah." Dawn's voice was like ice as it loudly crossed the hall, bringing a halt to everyone there as the aforementioned man turned to look incredulously at his former "employer". Willa looked at him then back across the hall, eyes landing on Rick as he stood completely still, his figure blocking Dawn from the brunette woman's sight. "And then you can leave."

"That wasn't part of the deal." Rick pointed out, turning and moving back towards the Lieutenant. Noah and Beth moved closer as well and Willa started to walk forward but was held back by Daryl, his hand heavy on her shoulder. He didn't look at her but he gently nudged her backwards until Carol's hand replaced his, holding the younger woman in place.

"Noah was my ward." Dawn remarked, an air of certainty on her that only made the dread triple within Willa. "Beth took his place and I'm losing her so I need him back." One of the officers behind Dawn tried to speak up but was cut off by a harsh word from the commanding officer who refused to remove her gaze from the tall imposing man before her. "My officers put their lives on the line to find him. One of them died."

"He's staying." Daryl pushed his hand onto Noah's chest to keep him back as he himself moved to stand beside Rick. The two alpha males would have scared nearly anyone else with their imposing figures but Dawn seemed far beyond any of that anymore.

"He's one of mine, you have no claim on him." She insisted, her logic spurning her mentally to believe her own win in this situation.

"The boy wants to go home." Rick told the woman. "So you have no claim on him."

Willa could see the leader's hand twitch, see him reign himself back from grabbing his gun. The group had all gone on edge, ready to spring the instant any signal came from Rick. Carol continued to hold Willa back but her grip had tightened in the younger woman's shoulder. Ready to pull back or push down, it was hard to tell which one, but the moment would come for either one, of that, they could almost be certain. Willa turned her head to look at Beth, trying to catch the blonde's eye but it was a fruitless attempt, Beth was watching Dawn with that determination that made Willa's insides twist.

"Well then we don't have a deal." Dawn's statement was accompanied by the slightest twist of her head, as if she was attempting to challenge Rick.

"The deal is done!" Rick's voice rose, echoing off the sterile hallway. Noah attempted to move forward, starting to speak up to assure Rick that it was fine, that it would be okay, but Rick slapped his hand onto the younger man's chest to hold him back, not even looking away from the Lieutenant in front of him. Noah bypassed the hand and moved beside Rick, finally directed the former deputy's attention away from the woman. Noah handed over his gun, a look of somber resolve on his face.

"That's not okay." Willa spoke up, trying to move out from under Carol's hand. "You can't just go back to the woman."

"It's fine." Noah insisted, even though his face didn't match his words.

"Wait!" Beth called out, moving forward.

"Beth!" Willa lunged forward, her fingers barely catching onto the blonde's hand, causing the other woman to turn. The brunette got out from Carol's hold, her eyes darting to Daryl who was watching both women with a slight uncertainty and fear in his expression. Looking back at the blonde, Willa lowered her voice to stay between them. "Whatever you're going to do, don't."

"I got this." Beth assured her, equally as quiet. Her hand squeezed into the brunette's and a small smile came to her face."Take care of Daryl."

And just like that, her hand was escaping WIlla's grasp and the blonde was across the hall, throwing her arms around Noah in a tight hug. All eyes were back on her. Noah whispered to Beth and Dawn whispered to Noah and, while Willa couldn't see her face, something about Beth changed as the other woman slowly let go of her friend to stand square on with the Lieutenant.

"I get it now." Beth stated simply. Dawn's hand went onto her gun and Willa caught the gleam of something in Beth's hand.

It all took one single second that seemed to go in slow motion. The brunette opened her mouth, ready to call out. The blonde raised her cast covered hand, fingers holding a pair of scissors. The lieutenant tilted her gun, arm beginning to move, perhaps to counter what she might have caught from the corner of her eye. The scissors rammed into Dawn's shoulder and the finger pulled on the gun trigger.

The shot was deafening in the otherwise silent hallway. The dread erupted into a full force grief and Willa found herself falling on her knees as Beth fell to the floor, blood and brain matter out the back of her head staining the tile beneath her. The brunette's ears rang under the pressure within her own head, panic gripping onto her heart as she tried to grasp onto what had just happened. A second shot fired and Dawn's collapsing body was barely registered as the younger woman kept her eyes only on her fallen friend, willing her to be alive still.

She didn't know who did it, who pulled her to her feet, or even how they all got out of the hospital. All she knew was Daryl was in front of her, carrying Beth's lifeless body.

And then there was Maggie who Willa hadn't even comprehended until that moment, collapsed on the ground outside as she stared in anguish at her dead sister. The sound of her cries being the first noise the young woman even registered as everything around her came back into focus. Tyreese was holding her up, Carol walking at her other side, everyone, even Abraham and Rosita who didn't even know Beth, had levels of heartbreak etched into their faces. Glenn was on the ground beside Maggie, providing whatever comfort he could for his distraught wife as she sobbed. Daryl barely looked as if he could continue holding Beth in his own anguish. His arms shook under the weight but his hands were gripping tightly onto her dead body as if he wasn't about to ever let her go.

From inside the fire truck parked further away, Carl's head gazed out the window as he held his baby sister, his own tears freely flowing at the tableau set before him.

 _XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

Honestly, I had this and an alternate scene written way back after the last chapter finished but I just couldn't decide on how I wanted things to go. I'm still not over what happened in the show and I'm sad that I put it in here. I can't wait until I get Willa to meet Negan, she'll be badass by then.


End file.
